Employed and Experiencing Homelessness: What the Numbers Show

Written by Julie Pagaduan September 2, 2022

Have you ever heard the idea that people experiencing homelessness “don’t want to work” or they should “just get a job?”

The truth is that many do – in fact, a 2021 study from the University of Chicago estimates that 53% of people living in homeless shelters and 40% of unsheltered people were employed, either full or part-time, in the year that people were observed homeless between 2011 – 2018.

Despite how many people experiencing homelessness work, a job doesn’t solve everything. Life-sustaining wages are a key determinant of housing security; however, most people experiencing homelessness are not earning enough to afford rent.

Full story at https://endhomelessness.org/blog/employed-and-experiencing-homelessness-what-the-numbers-show/